Garment package



y 1966 L. A. BRITTINGHAM 3,259,229

GARMENT PACKAGE Filed Dec. 31, 1963 2 h h 1 INVENTOR.

LAWRiVCE A. BRITTINGHAM FIG. 2

United States Patent 3,259,229 GARMENT PACKAGE Lawrence A. Brittingham, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Cluett, Peabody & (10., Inc., Troy, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 334,804 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-7) This invention relates to an improved garment package, and more particularly to a garment package which provides a support for the hook portion of a garment hanger to position a garment in the package.

Many garments, such as a mans sport shirt, are folded and placed in a polyethylene bag following the manufacturing operations. They are then packaged loosely in a box either singly or with two or three other shirts, for storage and for shipment to a retailer for display and sale to the ultimate consumer. Such garments are usually displayed and sold in the folded condition.

On the other hand, some garments are displayed on a garment hanger. There are recognized advantages to. a purchaser when the purchaser has an opportunity to inspect a garment which is displayed on a hanger, as compared with a folded garment. When displayed openly on a hanger, the drape, hang, shape, pattern matching, and other construction features of the fabric and garment can be more readily examined, whereas it is harder for the customer to examine such features if the garment is tightly folded or packaged in a polyethylene bag.

A garment displayed for sale on a hangershould have a pleasing appearance. If the garment is wrinkled or excessively creased by folding when it is shipped from the point of manufacture to the point of sale, the retailer must iron the garment to provide the pleasing uncreased appearance. Previous attempts to package a garment on a hanger, such that it lies smoothly and without folds, have been complicated in construction by the addition of hanger support members which had to be attached to the side or end walls of the package which were costly to construct and could not be stored in a flat condition.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved garment package which will position a garment hanger on which a garment is mounted and prevent sliding of the garment within the package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment package in which garments, such as mens sport shirts, may be packaged with a minimum of folds and from which the garment may be readily removed following shipment from the factory to the retailer and the hanger can be immediately hung on a rack for display and sale to the ultimate consumer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment package which may be formed as a cut-out blank or stamping from paper board, which may he stored in a fiat form, and which in its assembled form cooperates with a hook portion of a garment hanger to position a garment securely on the hanger within the package.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent'from the following description of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in the appended claims.

In accordance with the present invention, a garment box is formed as a cut-out or stamping from a board material preferably made from paper. The box may be rectangular in shape with one or more sides formed with a rigid tubular or channel construction extending along the side and presenting an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner wall is provided with spaced apertures which define a substantially vertical support member having a width along the inner wall corresponding to a cord of the inner arc of the hanger hook so that the hook portion of a garment hanger may be positioned in the apertures and 3,25%,Z2 Patented July 5, 1956 on the support member. The edges of the support member and of the inner wall which define the aperture are positioned to engage the inner and outer arcs of the hanger hook on movement of the hanger hook to thereby limit movement of the hanger hook. Additionally, the

' inner and outer walls of the side portion of the package are spaced to receive the hanger hook therebetween and to limit movement of the hanger hook in a direction away from the support member by engaging the outer arc of the hanger hook when the hanger hook moves from its position on the support member. Rotation of the hanger on the support member is limited by positioning the adjacent side portions of the garment box at a suitable distance from and adjacent to the edges of a garment positioned on the garment hanger in the garment box.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a garment box constructed in,

accordance with the present invention and shown in laid out or flat form;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a portion of the garment package partially assembled to illustrate the manner in which the blank shown in FIG. 1 is assembled;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an assembled garment box shown in FIG. 1, in assembled form, and showing a mans shirt on a hanger positioned in the hanger box;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a preferred embodiment in assembled form and showing a fragment of the inner wall of the side portion including the apertures and the support member on which the hanger hook is positioned;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a portion of the inner wall of the side portion showing alternative arrangements for the apertures and support member construction.

'FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view showing the locking arrangement for a side portion and taken along line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view showing the preferred rectangularly shaped channel construction of the side portion with a hanger hook positioned in the apertures and taken along line 77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an alternative side portion construction in which the inner wall of the side portion is at an angle to the outer wall;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a fragment of the inner Wall of the side portion showing the configuration of the apertures and support member when the channel construction shown in FIG. 8 is used;

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view showing another alternative construction of the side portion;

FIG. 11 is a partial sectional plan view of the channel construction of the side portion showing the positioning of a hanger hook in the apertures and on the support memher; and

FIG. 12 is a partial sectional View showing another alternative construction of the hanger receiving area.

The present invention is concerned. with the bottom portion or box portion of a two-piece package, the top portion of which comprises a normal box cover and will not be described in detail herein.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the package bottom 98 includes a body port-ion 102. The body portion 102 is preferably rectangular in shape and it is for-med from a flat portion of board material, such as paper, which is sufficiently thick to resist bending and other forces normally experienced by a garment box during shipping operations.

A side portion 112 extends along at least one side of the body portion 102, and in the preferred embodiment opposing side portions are constructed in a like manner. The side portion 112 is preferably formed as an integral portion of the body portion 102 and may be conveniently formed simultaneously with the body portion 102.

Side portions 114 are also formed integrally with the body portion 102. The second side portions 114 extend along the sides of the body portion 102 which are adjacent to the side portions 112 and are on opposing sides of the body portion 102. Although opposing sides of the garment package 98 are of like construction, as shown and described herein, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this arrangement. The side portions 114 are arranged to interlock with the side portions 112 and with the body portion 102 to form the bottom of the package in a manner to be explained hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention, the side 112 is formed with fold lines 116, 117, 118 and 1:19 which extend parallel to the side of the body portion 102 and along the entire length of the side portion 112. When the side portion 112 is folded along the .fold lines 116, 117, 118, 119, the side portion 112 forms a channel which has a substantially rectangular cross-section and which may be made rigid by attaching the flap portion 122 to the body portion 102 by any known manner such as by gluing. When the side portion 112 is in its assembled position, it presents an inner wall 124 and an outer wall 126 (seen more clearly in FIG. 2) connected by a top wall 128.

The side portion 114 is formed with fold lines 130, 131 and 132 which extend parallel to the side of the body portion 102 and along the entire length of the side portion 114. A tab 134 is formed on the fold line 130 by elongated cut 135 angled at its end to cause the tab to fold out and to remain in the plane of the side 114 when the side is folded along the fold line 130. A corresponding tab portion 136 is formed along fold line '132 by an elongated cut 137. When the side portion 114 is folded along the fold lines 130, 131 and 132, the tab portions 134 and 136 come together and combine to lock the side portion 114 in its folded position by the projection of the tab 136 through the cut-out portion in the body portion 102 left by the tab 134, as shown in FIG. 6.

Adjacent ends of the side portions 112 and -114 are shaped to provide interlocking corners between the side portions 112 and 114 when the garment package is in its made-up condition. The inner and outer walls of the side portions 112 are provided with laterally extending flaps 140 and 141 on each end. The flaps 140 and 141 are arranged to fold inwardly along fold lines 142 and 143, respectively. The width of the flaps 140 and 141 corresponds to the inner height of the side portion 114, so that the flaps 140 and-141 may extend into the inner fold of the side 114 when the side 114 is in its assembled position. To this end, the flap 141 includes an offset edge 145 to permit the fold line 13-1 of the side portion 114 to extend over the offset edge 145 of the flap 141.

To provide a further interlock between the side portions 112 and 114 at the corner formed therebetween, a tab portion 148 is formed on the ends of the side portions 114 and a corresponding tab 149 is formed along the fold line of the flap 140 by an elongated cut 151 having angled ends. When the side portions 112 and 114 are in their assembled position, the fiap 148 extends through the opening formed as the tab 149 moves with the flap 140 out of the plane of the inner wall 124 as the flap is folded along fold line 142. By means of these interlocking arrangements, the side portions 112 and i114 combine to form a rigid wall construction for the portion 98 of the garment package.

In accordance with the present invention, the inner wall 124 includes edges Within the wall which define apertures 154 and 156. The apertures 154 and 156 are spaced to form a support member 158 therebetween. The edges 159 and 161 of the support member 158 extend substantially vertically over the height of the side wall 124.

The apertures 154 and 156 are proportioned to receive the hook portion 200 of a hanger and the edges 159 and 161 are spaced to provide a width of the support member 158 corresponding to a cord S (seen in FIG. 11) of the inner are of the hook portion 200 of the garment hanger, thereby permitting the hook portion to be positioned simultaneously in the apertures 154 and 156 and on the support member 158.

Edged portions 163 and 164, which define portions of apertures 154 and 156 respectively, are positioned to limit movement of the hook portion of the garment hanger in directions along the inner wall 124 when the hook portion is positioned in the apertures 154 and 156. That is, not only do edges 159 and 161 of the support member 158 limit movement of the hanger hook in a direction along the inner wall 124, but the edges 163 and 164 also limit such movement, particularly if the hanger hook should move slightly away from the support member 158 toward the outer wall 126.

As a further feature of my invention, the outer wall 126 is positioned with respect to the support member and the inner wall to permit the positioning of the hook portion of a garment hanger on the support member 158, but limiting movement of said hanger book in a direction away from the support member '158 when the hanger hook is so positioned. In this manner, the inner surface of the outer wall 126 will engage the outer are surface of the hanger hook as at point 204 (FIG. 11), when the hanger hook starts to move excessively in a direction away from the support member 158. In order to facilitate the positioning of a hanger hook in the apertures, aperture 156 is provided with an extended portion 157 through which a hanger book may be readily inserted and positioned on the support member 158.

Another feature of my invention is that the side portions 114 are positioned such that when a garment is placed on a hanger with the hook portion in the apertures 154 and 156, the side portions 114 loosely engage the sides of the garment. In this way, as shown in FIG. 3, the side portions 114 limit rotation of the hanger hook and prevent it form rotating and moving out of the apertures.

In FIG. 5, an alternative construction of the aperture 154 is shown in which the aperture is divided forming two smaller apertures 166 and 167. This alternative construction would be advantageous when it is desired to limit vertical movement of a hanger hook positioned on the support member 168. For example, two hanger hooks may be positioned on the support member and separated by positioning one hook in each of the two apertures 166 and 167. It will be understood, however, that such separate apertures are not required for each book, and several hangers may be positioned on the support member 158 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 8, an alternative construction of the side portion 112 is shown in which the inner wall 170 is at an angle with respect to the outer wall 171. When this embodiment is used, the apertures 172 and 173, shown in FIG. 9, must be suitably proportioned to take into consideration the shorter distance between the inner wall 170 and the outer wall 171 at the top portion of the side portion as compared to the distance at the bottom portion of the side portion and therefore a shorter arc portion of a hanger hook will be positioned on the top portion of the support member.

In FIG. 10, I have shown an alternative means for attaching the flap 122 of the side portion 112 to the body portion 102. Thus in FIG. 10, the flap folds inwardly toward the center of the box and the flap is attached by a staple 125.

In another alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12, there is a struck portion 174 which is hinged at one edge thereof and is folded into the channel formed when the walls 124, 128 and 126 are in final position after forming of the garment package. This struck portion acts as a-lock by creating a confinement of the hanger between the free edge of the struck portion 174 and the inner face of the wall 126 when the hanger is passed through the apertures 156 and 154 and prevents removal by vibration such as experienced in normal handling and shipping. Also as seen in FIG. 12, an added reinforcement may be provided for the support member 158 by and adhesive tape 175 applied to the inner wall of the support member before the end portion 112 is assembled.

In the use of the present garment package, the bottom portion 98 is cut or stamped from a flat board material, such as paper, and although the fold lines are formed during the cutting operation, the bottom may be stored in the flat condition until it is to be used. In making up the box a side portion 112 is formed by folding inwardly along fold lines 116, 117, 118 and 119. The fold lines 142 and 143 of flap portions 140 and 141 will then be positioned parallel to each other and may be folded inwardly and extend along the fold line 130 of the side portion 114. The side portion 114 is then folded along fold lines 130, 131 and 132 to interlock tab- 134 and 136 and tabs 148 and 151 to form the completed bottom portion of the garment box.

To package a garment in the bottom 98, the garment, such as a mans sport shirt, is placed on a grament hanger having a usual hook portion. The hook portion 200 is inserted through the extension 157 of the aperture 156, then moved along between the inner surfaces of the walls 124 and 126 and then through the aperture 154 so that the hook portion 200 is positioned on the support member 158, as shown in FIG. 11. When the hanger is in this position, movement of the hanger hook is limited by edges 163, 164, 159 and 161 which engage the inner and outer arcuate surfaces of the hook portion. Movement is further limited by the inner surface of the wall 126 which limits movement of the hanger hook away from the support member 158. Additionally, rotation of the hanger hook on the support member 158 is limited by the positioning of the side portions 114 adjacent to the sides of the garment in the bottom portion 98, as seen in FIG. 3. More than one garment may be placed in the bottom portion, as desired.

A usual box top may then be placed on the bottom portion 98 to form the complete package. When the package is opened, the garment may be removed by removing the garment hanger and the garment may be immediately hung on a rack for display and sale to the ultimate consumer.

It will be recognized that the novel construction described above for positioning and limiting movement of the hook portion of a garment hanger can be utilized in constructing one side, two opposing sides or all four sides of the garment box.

It also will be understood that various changes in the details, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garment box adapted to position therein a garment hanger having a hook portion, said box comprising a body portion and a first side portion, said first side portion having a structurally rigid tubular construction including an inner wall and an outer wall, edges formed within said inner wall defining apertures spaced to receive a hook portion of a garment hanger, said edges being positioned to limit movement of the hook portion in a direction along said inner wall when the hook portion is positioned in said apertures, and side portions adjacent to said first side portion and arranged to limit rotation of a hanger with its hook portion positioned in said apertures.

2. A garment box adapted to position therein a garment hanger having a hook portion, said box comprising a body portion and side portions extending from said body portion, at least one of said side portions having a substantially rectangular-shaped channel construction including apertures spaced to receive a hook portion of a garment hanger, said edges being positioned to limit movement of the hook portion of the garment hanger when the hook portion is positioned in said apertures, and said side portions of said box adjacent to said one side portion arranged to limit rotation of a hanger positioned with its hook portion in said apertures.

3. A garment box adapted to position therein a garment hanger having a hook portion, said box comprising a rectangularly-shaped body portion and side portions, two opposing said side portions having a substantially rectangular-shaped channel construction including an inner wall and an outer wall, said inner wall of each of said opposing side portions having spaced apertures forming a support member therebetween, said support members extending substantially vertically and having a width along said inner walls corresponding to a cord of the inner arc of the hook portion of a garment hanger, one of said apertures in each said opposing side portions adapted to receive the hook portion of a garment hanger to facilitate positioning of said hook in said spaced apertures and on said support members, said inner Wall and said outer wall of each of said two opposing side portions being spaced to receive said hanger hook therebetween and being spaced to limit movement of said hanger hook in a direction away from said support members, and other opposing side portions adjacent to said first opposing side portions arranged to limit rotation of hangers positioned on support members of each of said first opposing side portions.

4. The combination of a garment box with a garment hanger having a hook portion, said box comprising a body portion and an integrally formed side portion, said side portion having a substantially rectangularly-shaped channel construction including an inner wall and an outer wall, said inner wall having spaced apertures defined by edges within said inner wall and forming a support member therebetween, said support member extending substantially vertically of said inner wall and having a width along said inner wall corresponding to a cord of the inner arc of said hook portion, a hook portion of a garment hanger positioned in said apertures and on said support members, said edges of said inner wall engaging the arc portion of said hook at separated points to limit movement of said hook portion in the direction along said inner wall when said hook portion is positioned in said apertures and on said support member, said inner wall and said outer wall being spaced to receive said hanger hook therebetween and to limit movement of said hanger hook in a direction away from said support member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,170,723 8/ 1939 Marx 229-'34 2,308,818 1/ 1943 Levkoft 229-34 2,883,042 4/1959 Richer 206-7 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

4. THE COMBINATION OF A GARMENT BOX WITH A GARMENT HANGER HAVING A HOOK PORTION, SAID BOX COMPRISING A BODY PORTION AND AN INTEGRALLY FORMED SIDE PORTION, SAID SIDE PORTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULARLY-SHAPED CHANNEL CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING AN INNER WALL AND AN OUTER WALL, SAID INNER WALL HAVING SPACED APERTURES DEFINED BY EDGES WITHIN SAID INNER WALL AND FORMING A SUPPORT MEMBER THEREBETWEEN, SAID SUPPORT MEMBE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY OF SAID INNER WALL AND HAVING A WIDTH ALONG SAID INNER WALL CORRESPONDING TO A CORD OF THE INNER ARC OF SAID HOOK PORTION, A HOOK PORTION OF A GARMENT HANGER POSITIONED IN SAID APERTURES AND ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, SAID EDGES OF SAID INNER WALL ENGAGING THE ARC PORTION OF SAID HOOK AT SEPARATED POINTS TO LIMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID HOOK PORTION IN THE DIRECTION ALONG SAID INNER WALL WHEN SAID HOOK PORTION IS POSITIONED IN SAID APERTURES AND ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID INNER WALL AND SAID OUTER WALL BEING SPACED TO RECEIVE SAID HANGER HOOK THEREBETWEEN AND TO LIMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID HANGER HOOK IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID SUPPORT MEMBER 